


18 Secret Santa Horror Stories That'll Turn Anyone Into A Grinch

by GayaIsANerd



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: (though not really), Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Office, Christmas Fluff, Doctor Isak, Evakteket Challenge, M/M, Meet-Cute, Secret Santa, background Eva/Noora, background sana/yousef, snowglobe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2019-02-17 12:23:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13076802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GayaIsANerd/pseuds/GayaIsANerd
Summary: Some secret Santa, some unfortunate google results, a whole lot of complaining and a heart full of gratitude





	18 Secret Santa Horror Stories That'll Turn Anyone Into A Grinch

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! <3
> 
> So, I'm not being fake modest when I say this isn't my best work.  
> I still hope you'll enjoy it, though!  
> Title from a buzzfeed article, you'll get why ;)  
> Thank you to evakteket for hosting such a fun challenge!
> 
> And as always, comments and kudos feed the cats!

Isak groans when Magnus walks up to him, plastic bowl full of names in hand.

“I’m not doing this, Magnus,” he says.

“Too late, I already added your name, so now you have to join!”

When Magnus had suggested they’d do secret santa with everyone at work this year, Isak had immediately said he didn’t want to join, claiming he hadn’t worked there long enough, and he wasn’t intending to stay and befriend anyone working there.

Magnus had looked at him with those sad eyes, like Isak could still disappoint him after all those years.

“Why can’t we just do this between us like every year? With our friends?” Isak had asked.

“Almost all our friends work at  _ Tingen _ , Isak.”

“Yeah, but also a lot of other people I don’t even know,” Isak had crossed his arms petulantly, making Magnus roll his eyes at him.

“Well then, perfect way to get to know them!”

Isak knew Magnus was technically right, but he also didn’t  _ want _ to get to know these people. He only worked there because he didn’t get the job he really wanted, which was working at the children’s hospital. 

It’s not that he wasn’t proud of his friends,  _ Tingen  _ was a big deal and Jonas and Magnus worked incredibly hard on it. The website was described as the Norwegian  _ Buzzfeed _ but smarter, more political, less cluttered with articles like “ten ways to make oatmeal” and more articles about things that actually mattered (and maybe a couple of articles that were just for fun). 

After the site launched, Magnus and Jonas had offered their friends jobs, most of them accepting, either freelance or full time. 

When the site grew bigger, they started looking for people outside of their friend group to strengthen the team, eventually hiring a bunch of people Isak had never seen before and had no intention of ever meeting.

Then Isak graduated and found that the one place he wanted to work at, didn’t have a spot for him. He could work anywhere, his marks at school had been so good, he would be welcomed with open arms in any hospital or lab, but Isak had his eyes set on the children’s hospital and when he couldn’t work there, he didn’t want to work in medicine at all.

He was stubborn like that. 

So, when Jonas and Magnus offered him a place in their company “just for the time being, you can quit anytime, we won’t hold you to a contract”, Isak had begrudgingly accepted and now found himself writing medical advice columns and articles, and being forced into secret santa for  _ Tingen _ .

Fuck his life, seriously.

“So?” Magnus wiggles the bowl.

Isak sighs, giving up trying to resist Magnus and grabs the piece of paper on top.

“Even? Who is that?” Isak asks after unfolding the paper, squinting at the slanted handwriting. He thought Jonas had introduced him to everyone in passing, but he doesn’t remember an Even. Then again, he wasn’t really paying attention when Jonas had walked him around the office.

“Oh, he’s our freelance photographer,” Magnus says, suddenly way too excited for Isak’s liking.

“Why are you so gleeful about this?” Isak narrow his eyes at him.

Magnus shrugs, unconvincing, “No reason, just happy you decided to join!”

Isak huffs, “I didn’t decide anything, you bullied me into it!”

Eva chooses that moment to walk into their office, shaking the snow off her head and shoulders, “Hello boys!” she says, cheerily.

She presses a cold kiss on Isak’s cheek before noticing the bowl in Magnus’ hands, “Oh, I need to draw a name too!”

Eva puts her hand fully in the bowl, swishing it around before pulling out a name, a smile appearing on her face when she reads it.

Isak tries to read over her shoulder, but she angles the name away from him, grinning.

“Who did you get?” she asks Isak, and he stares pointedly at the piece of paper in her hand, the name on it safely hidden from view.

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours!” she says, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, making Isak burst out in laughter. 

Magnus, on the other hand, makes a loud noise of protest, “You can’t share your names! It’s a secret santa, emphasis on secret!”

Eva shrugs and Isak rolls his eyes at him once more, before Magnus walks off, wagging his finger threateningly at them, “I’m going to fire you both if you tell!” he says, the vain threat making Eva and Isak chuckle as Magnus goes to find other people that still need to draw a name.

When he’s out of earshot, Eva turns to Isak, “So? Who did you get?”

“Even,” Isak says, disinterest colouring his voice.

“Oh!” Eva’s face lights up, and like Magnus she’s suddenly way too excited about that.

“What is so special about him that it warrants this reaction? First Magnus, now you?”

“Isak!” she squeals, “You haven’t met him yet?” when Isak shakes his head, she tuts, “He’s so funny! And smart! And handsome, Isak! So handsome!”

“Forgetting you are not, in fact, single, Eva?” Isak asks her, grimacing when she hits his arm.

“Don’t be stupid, I still have eyes, even now that I’m a soon to be married woman!” she grins, fiddling with the engagement ring on her finger.

Isak smiles at her, he’s happy for her. Eva deserves happiness and love.

“So, who did you get?” Isak asks her.

Suddenly Eva looks to her right, “I’m sorry, what was that?” she yells to the empty space, “You need me to come right now? Sure, I’ll be there immediately!” She turns back to Isak, regretful look on her face, “I’m sorry Isak, someone really needs me out there!”

Isak snorts, “So, you got me, hu?” he says.

Eva abruptly turns away from him, “Got to go, talk to you later!” she yells over her shoulder as she walks away. 

Isak just laughs, shaking his head.

After she leaves him, Isak reads the name again,  _ Even _ . He’s surprised he hasn’t heard this name a thousand times before if he’s so perfect as Eva says. Then again, he has made his distaste for everyone but his friends abundantly clear, maybe they decided to leave him to brood in peace. Isak isn’t sure how he feels about that, he should be grateful but instead he feels annoyed at himself.

Isak sighs as he turns back to the article he’s working on, praying to a god he doesn’t believe in, that he’s out of here soon.

~~

“What do I buy for a guy I don’t even know?” Isak asks Jonas over lunch.

Jonas shrugs before taking another bite of his sandwich, “You could always try to get to know him first?”

“Jonas, I don’t want to know him, I’m going to be -”

“Out of here soon, yeah, I know,” Jonas says and he sounds annoyed with Isak, “You keep reminding me how badly you want to get away from this company.”

Isak stares at his best friend, lost for words, “Shit, Jonas, I’m sorry,” he says eventually, and when Jonas just shrugs, he adds, “No, really, it’s not you or the company… To be fair, I think under different circumstances I would like working here, helping people like this. It’s just…  ” he trails off, looking outside at the snowfall.

“It’s not what you expected to be doing,” Jonas says, and Isak nods, “I get it, dude, I do.”

They smile at each other and not for the first time, Isak remembers how grateful he is to have Jonas in his life, there to pick him up, and love him, even when he isn’t that loveable.

“However, I really think you would like the boys! They are a lot of fun.”

Isak sighs, “Maybe, yeah.”

He doesn’t say what he’s thinking, doesn’t tell Jonas it’s not just about working here instead of the children's hospital. He doesn’t tell Jonas, because he’s not sure what he would tell him, how he could explain how lost he feels in the face of all these people that seem to know exactly what they are doing and where they are going.

Jonas just looks at him, but doesn’t push, and Isak is grateful as he changes the topic to the story he’s writing now.

~~

Isak comes home to Eskild blasting Christmas songs, and him and Linn decorating the tree.

“Baby gay, come help us!” Eskild shouts over the music.

“I gotta…,” Isak trails off, unable to find an excuse, “look for a present for the company’s secret santa.”

Eskild tuts at Isak, motions for him to come closer, “You have time, that’s not for another two weeks and we all know you only do your christmas shopping two days ahead of time.”

“How do you know when the secret santa is?” Isak asks, dragging his feet closer to Eskild.

“We’re also invited,” Linn says, voice succeeding in sounding both monotonous and excited.

“Why?” Isak asks.

“Don’t sound too excited about celebrating Christmas with us, godchild,” Eskild chides him.

Isak rolls his eyes, “Of course I’m happy you’re joining, I just don’t get why, you don’t work for  _ Tingen _ .”

Eskild shrugs, “It’s not a party without me and Linn, of course they invited us.”

Isak frowns but doesn’t comment, instead quietly accepts the bauble Eskild hands him.

“We can go Christmas shopping together, next week,” Linn tells Isak and he nods gratefully.

“Who did you guys get?” he asks them.

“Jonas,” Linn answers at the same time Eskild yells “It’s a secret, Isak!”

Linn and Isak both roll their eyes at Eskild huffing.

“No more talking about secret santa!” he orders, resembling Magnus from earlier that day, making Isak smirk.

Isak bends his head towards Linn, “Want to switch? I have -”

“Isak!” Eskild interrupts him, “No more!”

“Fine,” Isak grumbles, resigning to his faith of having to buy a Christmas present for someone he has never seen and isn’t planning to get to know.

Later that night he pulls his laptop in his lap, intent on finding this Even on facebook. Maybe he made a public Christmas wishlist, or something. Weirder things have happened. 

Half an hour later, Isak has looked through all his friends’ friend lists, typed in the name in google, instagram and twitter and has still come up empty.

He found a picture on the official  _ Tingen _ instagram with some people he doesn’t know in it, but no one was tagged, so Isak doesn’t know if any of them could be Even.

His search is made harder because he only knows his first name. He could text Jonas and ask for a last name, but Jonas might just try to introduce them again.

Isak sighs, clicking away from the company’s instagram page and onto Jonas’. 

There are all kinds of pictures of him at events Isak wasn’t at, company parties, birthday parties from someone in his team, pictures of Jonas and Magnus’ travel to America for a conference...

It’s Jonas’ life, and Isak is less and less a part of that life, and that’s his own fault. When Isak was still studying and Jonas and Magnus just started the company, he said he was too busy studying to come to the launch party, too busy studying to come out to celebrate them being featured in a big time magazine, too busy...

When the company became bigger, Jonas begged Isak to come write for them part-time. Jonas just wanted Isak to be part of the company, but Isak said no, turned up his nose at the offer and instead worked unpaid hours at the children’s hospital.

After Isak graduated, Jonas offered him the job again, and Isak turned him down again, convinced that the hospital would offer Isak a job.

By the time Isak realised that wasn’t the case, Jonas had made new friends and stopped waiting for Isak to join him. By the time Isak realised he wasn’t as special as he thought, Jonas and Magnus had become big shots in the media world and Isak was the only one of their friends left standing on the sideline.

He had called Jonas one night, drunk and crying, telling him that he was so jealous of his success, and that he would never be as happy as Jonas was.

Still, Jonas and Magnus had come to his rescue. They had offered him a job for the thousandth time, and this time Isak had accepted, although he was enough of an asshole to tell them he was out as soon as the children’s hospital changed their mind.

As Isak scrolls through Jonas’ pictures now, he realises he has been a dick, once again acting like his failed dreams and aspirations are somehow his friends’ fault.

He grabs his phone, and texts Jonas and Magnus

**To Jonas and Magnus 22:47** I just wanted to say I’m very grateful you guys offered me a job and I’ll promise to be less grumpy about the secret santa thing.

He gets a response immediately.

**Jonas 22:47** Did Eskild steal your phone? :o :o 

**Isak 22:48** Fuck off, Jonas!!

**Magnus 22:48** There is the real Isak ;) 

**Jonas 22:49** For real, though, dude, you’re welcome! <3

**Magnus 22:50** Yeah! We should thank you, your articles get so many hits! :D

A moment later, Isak receives another text from Jonas, not in the groupchat.

**Jonas 22:56** How are you holding up? I know christmas is hard.

**To Jonas 22:56** I’m okay, it’s gotten better now that mamma is getting help. Thank you <3

**Jonas 22:57** <3

He didn’t lie to Jonas, Christmas will always be hard, reminding him of the family he doesn’t have, but since he got his mamma help, it’s getting better.

Isak visits his mamma regularly now, and she has told him multiple times there is nothing to forgive, she’s happy he got out and build a life for himself. 

Still, the guilt is there, and the need to try and make up for the time he missed with her. 

He sighs as he looks back at Jonas’ instagram page, mindlessly clicks on one where Jonas has his arm thrown over someone, their hair up in a bun. They are tagged, so Isak follows the link onto their own instagram page.

Their name turns out to be Mikael and their page is filled with pictures of a bunch of boys Isak vaguely recognizes as Jonas’ employees. 

There’s also a picture of Sana, next to someone Isak remembers is her brother. He met him some time back, when he was studying at Sana’s place. Most interesting, however, is the boy almost out of the shot, and Sana’s soft smile as she’s looking at him. Isak stares at the picture for a while, the glow around Sana settling a warm feeling in Isak’s chest. 

Unlike him, Sana is working in a hospital, working on her surgical residency. Also unlike Isak, she jumped into  _ Tingen _ when it was still a project in Jonas’ spare bedroom. She and Noora write about world news from a feminist point of view. Sana’s articles are well-thought out and smart, bitingly funny and interesting, just like her. 

Isak clicks on to the next picture which is just a picture of a camera set up on a tripod,while the picture itself isn’t that interesting, the caption catches Isak’s eyes.

“Filming with the boys” it says and then a bunch of tagged people. One in particular is of interest to Isak: @eventyr.

Excited to get a hint of who this Even guy is, Isak clicks the tag, bringing him to his instagram page.

Like Magnus said, Even is obviously a photographer, taking stunning shots of the northern Lights. There are no pictures of him, though, but luckily his full name is in his bio.

Isak googles him and cheers internally when it brings up plenty of results, including shots of his face.

He’s… nothing like Isak had imagined. He’s not ugly, but Isak doesn’t get how Eva was fawning over him so much. 

Besides, he’s way older than all of them, which surprises Isak. He thought Magnus and Jonas only hired young people. According to them, Norway had too much unused young talent to be hiring the same old, known people.

This Even dude, however, is way older than them, at least forty.

Isak stares at his picture for a few moments, before frustratedly groaning and closing all his tabs. 

Stupid secret Santa ruining his life.

He trudges in Linn’s room, flops down next to her in bed, “I hate everything,” he says, words aimed at the ceiling.

Linn hums like she’s agreeing, “Me too,” she says, patting Isak on the head, “What’s up, sunshine?”

Isak turns his head so he can look at Linn, “I promised Jonas and Magnus I’d be less grumpy about this secret santa thing, but I don’t know the dude, and he’s so old!” he complains, stretching the o, making him sound like a petulant child, “What do I do?”

“Just buy him something neutral but holiday themed,” Linn suggest, yawning and crawling deeper into her blanket cocoon.

“Like what?”

“Isak, we’re going shopping next week, can’t it wait until then?” she mumbles, already half asleep and Isak nods.

“Yeah, you’re right, sorry,” he half-whispers and smiles as Linn puts her head on his shoulder.

“It’ll be fine, you’ll get through this,” she says, cutting through the bullshit and into the real issue, like she always does.

“I hope so,” Isak says, closing his eyes.

~~

Isak walks into work a week later and immediately walks up to Magnus’ office. 

Just as he’s about to enter, not bothering with knocking, the door flies open, right into his face.

“Oh shit,” Isak yelps, jumping backwards.

“Are you okay?” someone asks, and Isak looks up into the most beautiful blue eyes he has ever seen.

“Uhm, I’m -” he stumbles before the boy gasps, broad hands coming up to cup Isak’s face.

“You’re bleeding!” the boy says, right as Magnus walks outside.

“Isak! Let’s get you some medical help,” Magnus half-shouts, grabbing Isak’s arm and pulling his face out of the soft grip of the boy.

“I’m fine, Magnus, it’s just a nosebleed,” Isak grumbles, trying to look back over his shoulder at the beautiful boy, but Magnus’ grip is strong as he leads him around the corner.

“Still, you should get it checked out.”

“Magnus, in case you forgot, I am a doctor and I’m telling you this is just a bruise,” Isak argues, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, “Just let me sit down.”

Magnus reluctantly nods and releases Isak, letting him sit down at the first desk he sees.

“What were you doing at my office?” Magnus asks him, “Where you there for him?”

“Who?” Isak asks. Although he’s quite sure who Magnus means, judging by the look on his face.

“You know who,” Magnus says, winking.

Isak rolls his eyes at him, and lets go of his nose, wiggling it experimentally. The bleeding has already stopped, making Isak even more annoyed at Magnus for taking him away from the boy before he could ask for his name.

“How could i have been there for him if I don’t know who he is,” Isak argues, raising his hand as Magnus starts to speak, “No, I’m not interested,”  _ lie _ , “I was just there to ask if I could leave early today, Eskild and Linn are taking me shopping.”

Magnus frowns at him, clearly wanting to elaborate on the boy, but instead he nods, “Of course, Isak, I told you before, you can make your own hours, as long as you write the set amount of articles, I don’t care when you come and go.”

“Thanks,” Isak says, and he wishes he could be as free as Magnus, just deciding his own work hours, but that’s just not him.

Isak thrives on routine, supposes it’s a way of gaining control after having lost it in his teens. After his mamma got ill, Isak never knew what to expect. His mamma’s moods changed quickly and unpredictably, making Isak fearful and tense.

Later, when he moved out of his mamma’s house and moved in with Eskild and Linn, things got better, but still Isak felt lost and like he wasn’t in control of his life. He relied on the goodwill of Eskild, and his dad, aware that if either of them changed their mind, Isak would have to move back into his mamma’s house.

So, since he felt like he lost control over his relationship with his mamma and his living situation, Isak grabbed control where he could, mainly his grades at school. He worked extremely hard all during high school and university, fighting to stay at the top of his class.

Maybe, if he was being introspective, that is exactly where his resentment of his current situation came from. He lost control, again, and is forced to work somewhere other than where he wanted.

“Are you okay, dude?” Magnus asks and Isak forces a smile, nods.

“I’m okay, just tired,” he says. 

“You know where to find me if you need to talk,” Magnus’ voice is soft, worried and Isak just nods again.

A couple of hours later, Isak grabs his things and waves at Eva and Noora, bend over their desks, as he walks out of the door.

Eskild and Linn are waiting for him outside, both bundled up in scarves and bickering about something when Isak walks up to them.

“Isak!” Eskild shouts when he spots him, “Settle something for me, will you?”

“Sure, what’s up?” Isak says, already expecting the worst.

“You’ve been friends with Sana since forever, right?” Isak nods, so Eskild continues, “Okay, so if our secret santa is muslim, we can’t wrap our present in christmas paper, now can we? We need to use holiday paper! Or just paper in one colour!”

Isak stares at Eskild for a moment, “I guess, yeah,” he says, “that would be nice. We’re also not calling it a christmas party, but a holiday party.”

Eskild nods before rounding on Linn, “See, I told you your wrapping paper is very offensive! You have to think more about others, Linn!” he says, before turning around and marching off.

Linn and Isak share a look and a smile before following him, more amused than annoyed by their friend’s antics.

A couple of shops later, however, Isak’s amusement has definitely tipped over to annoyance.

“Eskild! Just help me pick something!” he groans.

“It needs to be your gift, baby Jesus, you need to pick from the heart!”

Isak groans again, loud enough to make several people turn around to look at him, “How can I choose something from the heart for someone I don’t even know?” he says, Eskild opens his mouth to answer but Isak waves him off, “Never mind, where is Linn, she’ll help me!”

Eskild points to somewhere in the back of the store and Isak follows his direction, walking into the part of the store reserved for kitschy Christmas decorations.

Linn is standing in the furthest corner, a small figurine of a deer in the snow in her hands.

“Help me,” Isak says, as he slides up to her.

She smiles wistfully at the figurine as she puts it back on the shelf and pats Isak’s arm, “Get one of the snowglobes,” she points to the snowglobes on the shelf next to them and Isak bends over to inspect them.

They aren’t too bad, the little figures inside them are detailed and cute.

“Didn’t you say he shoots the Northern Lights?” Linn asks, handing Isak one of the snowglobes.

The Northern Lights are painted on one side of the glass, and a little house with some trees are stood in the middle. When Isak shakes the globes, the fragile snow flutters, making the Northern Lights seemingly come to life.

“I’ll take this,” Isak says, making Linn smile at him.

When she walks out, back to Eskild, leaving Isak to pay for his present, he snatches the little figurine Linn was looking at earlier. She might not be his secret santa, but she deserves a present for putting up with him.

~~

The next week passes quickly after that, Isak goes to the Christmas party his mamma’s therapy group throws, and feels more in tune with her than he has in years, so by the time it was Saturday, the day of the secret Santa party, Isak felt more calm and at peace than he had been in a long while.

So, when he walks into the office that night, he isn’t even annoyed when Magnus pulls a santa hat over his ears, demands he wears it all night.

He pulls it off the second Magus turns around, obviously, but refrains from rolling his eyes and considers that a personal win.

Eva beckons him over, and he walks over to where she’s standing with Sana and Noora, champagne glasses in their hands, Sana’s filled with apple juice.

“Happy holidays,” Isak says, accepting Eva’s cheek kiss, smiling at the other two girls.

“You’re cheery,” Noora says, and Isak shrugs.

“Visited mamma this week, it was good,” he says and Sana catches his eye as she smiles softly at him, dimples standing out.

“Did you bring a kickass gift to impress Even?” Eva asks, winking.

“I don’t know what your obsession with him is, he’s old!”

Eva chokes in her champagne, and Noora thumps her on the back.

“Old?” Sana says, “He’s only two years older, if you think that’s old, I think we need to have a talk about the appropriate age bracket for dating.”

“He cannot be only two years older,” Isak exclaims, “He looks at least forty!”

All three girls raise their eyebrows at him.

“Are we talking about the same guy here?” Eva says, pointing over Isak’s shoulder, “That guy over there looks forty?”

Isak rolls his eyes and turns around, his mouth falling open as he sees who Eva is pointing to.

“That’s Even?” he whispers furiously.

“Yeah, who did you think Even was?” Sana says, unimpressed.

“Mikael tagged someone on their instagram page, I assumed he was that Even!”

“Oh,” Sana shrugs, “Even doesn’t have social media, so Mikael always tags a random Even. For some reason they think it’s funny,” she makes a disgusted sound, the one she normally reserves for her brother’s antics.

Normally Isak would agree with Mikael, now, however, he’s panicking. His secret santa is the hottest guy he’s ever laid eyes on and he bought him a snowglobe! A freaking snowglobe.

When he furiously whispers that to the girls, they all just laugh at him, making him throw his hands up in despair and stalk off to find beer.

While he’s bend over, searching the fridge for beer, someone walks up to him.

“How’s your nose?” Even asks, startling Isak into knocking his head on the top of the fridge.

“Ow, fuck,” he curses, rubbing the back of his head.

Even’s hands fly out, cradling Isak’s face like last time, “Shit, are you okay?” he asks, his eyes wide. 

“I’m fine,” Isak says, somehow breathless.

“I hope you won’t hurt yourself every time we see each other,” Even says, smiling.

Isak knows there’s a joke somewhere in there, but all he heard was that Even thinks they might be seeing each other more, so he can be excused for taking some time before he’s lucid enough to answer.

“Technically the first time you hurt me,” he says after several beats too long, startling Even into a laugh.

“Guess so,” he says, dropping his hands back to his side.

Isak immediately misses their warmth, almost wants to bash his face into something just to have them back.

Isak opens his mouth to say something, anything, when they get interrupted by Vilde announcing it’s time for the presents.

His anxiety immediately spikes and he looks from Even to the poorly gift wrapped present he dumped on the table earlier.

“Excited for your present?” Even asks him.

Isak shrugs, too nervous about the shitty present he’s about to give to Even to give a proper answer, “I mean, I know Eva has me, so it will probably be another stupid gift only she finds funny.”

Even frowns at him, “Eva has you?”

“Yeah,” Isak shrugs and Even’s frown deepens.

Before Isak can ask about it, however, Vilde calls for their attention, making them all gather around. 

“We’re just going to start with Magnus and then continue from there,” she announces, making room for Magnus who bounces up to the gift table, grabbing a big box and handing it over to Elias who grins happily.

They continue to hand out gifts from there, receiving and handing out gifts as they go.

Soon, it’s Eva’s turn and Isak stares as she walks past him and hands Eskild a gift.

“I thought you had me?” he says.

“No, but I knew if you knew I had Eskild you would tell him!” 

“I would not,” he bristles, making Eva stick out her tongue and Even laugh.

In the end only Even and Isak are left standing without a gift.

“Oh,” Isak says, realisation dawning on him, “we have each other.”

Even nods, and Isak notices the faint blush on his cheekbones.

“You want to go first?” Even asks and Isak shrugs, figures he might as well get this over with. Luckily everyone else is busy with their own presents, not paying them any attention.

He grabs the box, thrusting it in Even’s hands, making him raise his eyebrows at him.

“It’s not…,” Isak says, waving his hand around as if that’s enough explanation.

Even just smiles and starts to unwrap the present.

When he pulls out the snowglobe, he gently holds it up to the light, shakes it.

“This is beautiful, Isak,” Even says, and he actually sounds like he means it.

“It’s just…,” Isak says, once again cutting himself off.

Even steps closer to him and Isak is confused for one minute, before he kisses Isak’s cheek, “Thank you.”

Isak gapes, cheeks warm, eyes wide, “You’re welcome,” he mumbles.

“My turn,” Even says, grabbing the only present left on the table and handing it over to Isak.

He slowly unwraps it, aware of Even’s eyes following his every move.

Isak unveils a mug, turning it around to read the text.

“Trust me, I watch Grey’s Anatomy. I’m basically a surgeon,” he reads aloud.

“It’s stupid,” Even says, reaching out as if to pluck the mug out of Isak’s hands.

Isak cradles the mug to his chest, “Excuse me, this is mine now and I love it!” he says.

“You don’t have to say that,” Even says, “It was a stupid joke.”

“Even,” Isak says, stepping closer to him, mimicking Even’s move from before, “I love it,” he presses a soft kiss onto Even’s cheek, revels in the blush that appears on the place he just kissed.

Suddenly a wide grin appears on Even’s face, and Isak looks at him questionably.

“All I want for Christmas is you,” Even says.

“What?” Isak replies, though what he really wants to say is  _ same _ .

“The song?” Even says, bopping his head along to the song playing over the speakers.

“Oh,” Isak says, and he can’t help the very irrational disappointment flooding him. That is, until Even slides up to him and starts lip syncing to the song, bopping his head to the beat.

Isak rolls his eyes at him and the cheesy song, but can’t help the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 

“Come on, Isak, this is a Christmas classic,” Even says, laughing.

“Guys, what did you get each other?” Magnus suddenly asks, reminding Isak of the fact that they are, in fact, not alone at this party.

Even steps back a bit, leaving a more respectable distance between him and Isak as he shows Magnus the snowglobe.

Magnus fawns over both their presents and Isak appreciates and loves him but right now, he wishes he would just go away. 

Judging by the looks Even keeps throwing him, he’s thinking the same.

They share soft, private smiles over Magnus’ rambling until Sana appears out of seemingly nowhere, asking for Magnus’ help with something.

She smiles at them over her shoulder as she guides Magnus away and Isak mouths “thank you”.

“You want to go outside for a smoke?” Even asks him and Isak nods, figuring it’s their best shot to not get interrupted again.

They leave their presents on the table as they gather their coats, Even checking his pockets to make sure he has his cigarettes on him before following Isak outside.

Even lights up a cigarette as they step outside, offers it to Isak. 

There’s something weirdly intimate to the action. Putting his mouth were Even’s was moments before.

They stand in easy silence for a while, just looking at each other, smiling softly.

“So,” Isak starts when his cigarette is half way and he’s afraid they will have to go back in soon, “how did you start working for  _ Tingen _ ?”

Even shrugs, “Jonas had hired Mikael before, and I guess they recommended me when Jonas told them he was looking for a photographer.” Isak nods. “This isn’t the only thing I do, though, I actually mainly shoot for individuals. Weddings, birthdays, and so on.”

“Oh,” Isak says on an exhale, “Which do you prefer?”

“Well, the pictures for  _ Tingen _ are often very interesting, but nothing beats the joy on a couple’s face on their wedding day, or an entire family coming together for their grandfather’s ninetieth birthday. They really show the basic nature of humankind, you know?” Even asks and Isak nods, although he’s not sure he really knows.

“Jonas told me this isn’t really what you want to be doing,” Even says, and Isak is momentarily distracted by his lips around the cigarette.

“Uhm…,” he says, making Even smirk knowingly and Isak blush, “I mean, no, not really. I want to be working at the children’s hospital.”

Even nods, “I get that, however, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of what you’re doing right now. You’re providing people with easy to reach, and understandable information. You’re good at what you’re doing right now.”

Isak shrugs, but preens under the compliment.

“Wait, when did you talk to Jonas about me?” Isak realises suddenly and this time it’s Even blushing, lost for words.

“I, uhm…,” he stutters, “I might have seen you on my first day of work,” he admits and Isak just stares at him.

He curses himself for being so stubborn and caught up in self pity he failed to notice Even before. It’s truly a pity that he only now sees him, this beautiful boy, cheeks and nose red from the cold, hair dusted by the slow falling of the snow, eyes glistening in the soft yellow of the streetlights. 

Isak has an urge to reach out, bury his hands in Even’s hair and kiss him. 

When they make eye contact and Even just tips his head slightly, smiling at him, Isak decides that suppressing that urge might be the stupidest decision he ever made, so he steps forward into Even’s space.

Slowly he raises his hands, settles them on Even’s neck and leans in, giving Even plenty of time to pull back.

Instead, Even leans forward, arms coming around Isak’s waist, both boys dropping their cigarettes on the ground and instead focusing completely on the soft slide of their lips against each other.

Even tastes likes smoke and champagne, a hint of mint toothpaste and some of the chocolate that was set out.

Isak plasters his body against Even’s, getting lost in the kiss, in Even’s hands finding their way under Isak’s layers onto his bare skin.

“Come home with me,” Isak whispers against Even’s lips.

“I need to get your present first.”

Isak groans, dropping his head onto Even’s shoulder, “Leave it, Jonas will make sure it’s safe.”

Even gasps, “I’m not leaving your present, it’s my most valued possession!”

“Fine, but hurry,” Isak says, pecking Even on the lips.

Even smiles and kisses Isak three times in quick succession, “I’ll be right back.”

While Isak waits, his phone pings three times, alerting him to new messages in the groupchat.

**Eva 21:19** I told you he was hot!

**Magnus 21:19** GO GET HIM ISAK

**Jonas 21:19** Tell him I’ll fire him if he breaks your heart

Isak rolls his eyes at his friends, sends them a simple heart back before Even walks back out, carrying both their presents in his hands.

“Ready?” he asks, and Isak nods, pockets his phone.

“Ready,” Isak says, grabbing his present in one hand and Even’s hand in the other.

**Author's Note:**

> [Find me on Tumblr](http://greathalesonfire.tumblr.com/)   
> 


End file.
